next stop, anywhere but here
by garyprestons
Summary: AU drabble from A Brief Encounter - what if Miranda had been on the right train?


Wick. Wick. Why on earth was she going to _Wick?_

It was one of the hundreds of thoughts running through Gary's head as he ran into the train station that morning. He'd gone on foot the entire way from the restaurant, running faster than he ever had in his life, which even after going for regular jogs with Rose, was still not as fast as he would have liked. But both panic and adrenaline were coursing through him and pushing him past his physical limits.

When Stevie had stormed into the restaurant to tell him Miranda had just left for the station with her bags, he'd been ready to accept the fact that she wanted nothing more to do with him after he'd told her 'just friends.' But her tiny blonde friend had chipped away at his resolve until she got the confession she wanted.

He had feelings for Miranda, and they'd been there for a long time. But he was a commitment-phobe, rubbish at keeping a relationship afloat for longer than a few weeks, and Miranda was his best friend. What if things went wrong and as a result they couldn't go back to just being friends? He'd fancied her for years, and he knew she was in love with him. He didn't doubt the sincerity of the words she'd blurted out at his restaurant opening. Whenever they argued, the truth always came out.

As he ran through the doors into the station, he yanked up the sleeve of his jacket to look at his watch — 8:59. He wasn't going to make it. His heart was already beginning to deflate but he kept going, every muscle in his body protesting the abuse as he moved as quickly as he could through the station to the platform where her train was.

He saw it pull away, but it seemed to happen in slow motion.

"Miranda, wait!" he shouted after it, like that would actually solve anything. A few people shot him odd looks, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore, really. She was gone.

Defeated, he dropped his arms to his sides and was suddenly hit with the full consequences of what had just happened. Miranda was on her way to Scotland, and he was still in Surrey. It wasn't how it was supposed to be. She belonged here, at home, with her friends and family who loved her. Everything was so much brighter and more fun with her around. If only he'd been able to tell her that.

Now she'd never know.

/

As the train pulled away from the station, Miranda couldn't even watch. She turned away from the window and instead reached into her bag for her mobile. With a heavy but determined heart, she set about writing the most difficult text message she knew she'd ever send.

/

He couldn't see the train anymore; it had pulled around the bend in the tracks and was gone, and so was she. He was overwhelmed with the sudden urge to go after her, buy a ticket and find her and bring her back where she belonged, but even if he did somehow end up in Scotland, where would he even begin to look for her?

His mobile went off in his pocket, and he hurriedly retrieved it.

One new message.

_Gone travelling. Not sure when I'll be back. Sorry I didn't say goodbye proper. I know you'll want to come after me, but don't. It's too hard, and we never seem to get it right. M x_

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, and as he read it again a second time, a third, and over and over, the words began to blur together and swim across the screen until he realized he was crying. She was really doing it. She was really leaving, and she didn't want him to try and stop her. Why should she? She'd given him so many chances to tell her how he felt about her and he'd completely buggered up every single one.

If only he'd been faster. If only he'd made it to the station just a few minutes sooner. That would have been the biggest chance he would have ever gotten, and maybe then she'd have realized how important she was to him.

But she was gone.

He hit Reply.

_Call me as soon as you get this. I have to tell you something. Please don't go, Miranda._

And almost immediately, the response:

_Message undeliverable._

_ /_

Miles away and moving further away every minute, Miranda turned off her phone and zipped it back into her bag before looking out the window.

The passing scenery blurred together as she watched.

She realized she was crying.


End file.
